By Iqbal Jassat
As the military assault on the West Bank enters its second week—marked by forced home evacuations in Hebron, thousands of displacements, and mass arrests—the international community’s response remains dangerously stagnant.
For South Africa, a nation whose own history demands an unyielding commitment to human rights, passive condemnation is no longer enough.
The South African government must take immediate, decisive steps at both the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and within the BRICS bloc to indict Israel for the ongoing ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
South Africa has already demonstrated global moral leadership through its landmark genocide case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
However, legal battles in The Hague take years, while the reality on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank worsens by the hour. To bridge the gap between legal findings and enforceable action, Pretoria must utilize its diplomatic leverage in the world’s most powerful political forums.
First, South Africa must aggressively push the agenda at the UNSC. While the persistent threat of a US veto has historically paralyzed the council on the question of Palestine, South Africa—alongside aligned non-permanent and permanent members—must continuously table resolutions that explicitly name and condemn the systemic displacement and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.
By forcing recurring, public votes on targeted sanctions, arms embargoes, and immediate enforcement of ICJ provisional measures, South Africa can expose the diplomatic isolation of Israel’s enablers and keep unyielding pressure on the global stage.
Second, South Africa must rally the BRICS bloc to form a unified, influential counterweight to Western inaction. BRICS has expanded significantly, positioning itself as the voice of the Global South.
It is no longer just an economic partnership; it is a geopolitical force. South Africa must spearhead a diplomatic offensive within BRICS to secure a collective declaration condemning the annexation of Palestinian land and the forced displacement of its people.
Furthermore, Pretoria should advocate for BRICS-wide economic sanctions and the suspension of trade agreements with Israel. If the Global South unites under the BRICS banner to impose real economic consequences, the cost of Israel’s ongoing military occupation will skyrocket.
The horrific images coming out of Hebron and Gaza are a stain on the global conscience. South Africa knows too well the pain of institutionalised dispossession and the vital role that international solidarity plays in dismantling oppressive regimes.
We cannot afford to let our foreign policy rest on past laurels or lengthy court processes.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) must act with urgency.
By aggressively forcing the issue at the UNSC and mobilizing the collective might of BRICS, South Africa can transform rhetoric into leverage, ensuring that international law applies to all states equally, and that the ethnic cleansing of Palestine is finally brought to an end.
Iqbal Jassat
Executive Member
Media Review Network
Johannesburg
South Africa